THE LEIGH PEERAGE, AND STONELEY ESTATES, WARWICKSHIRE.
The fifth Lord Leigh left his estates to his sister, the Hon. Mary Leigh, for her life, and at her decease without issue to "the first and nearest of his kindred, being male, and of his name and blood," &c. On the death of Mrs. Mary Leigh in 1806, the estates were taken possession of by her very distant kinsman, the Rev. Thomas Leigh. The first person to dispute his right to them was Mr. George Smith Leigh, who claimed them as being descended from a _daughter_ of Sir Thomas Leigh, son of the first Baron Leigh. His claim was not allowed, because he had the name of Leigh only _by royal license, and not by inheritance_. Subsequently, the Barony of Leigh was claimed by another Mr. George Leigh, of Lancashire, as descended from a son of the Hon. Christopher Leigh (fourth son of the aforesaid Sir Thomas Leigh), by his second wife. His claim was disallowed when heard by a committee of the House of Lords in 1828, because he could not prove the second marriage of Christopher Leigh, nor the birth of any son by such marriage.
Being about to print a genealogy of the Leigh family, I should be under an obligation to any one who will, without delay furnish me with--
1st. The descent, with dates, of the aforesaid Mr. George _Smith_ Leigh from Sir Thomas Leigh.
2nd. The wife, and descendants to the present time, of the aforesaid Mr. George Leigh.
In return for this information I shall be happy to send my informant a copy of the genealogy when it is printed. I give you my name and address.
_Phillips Family._--Is there a family of Phillips now bearing the ancient arms of William Phillips, Lord Bardolph: viz. Quarterly, gu. and az., in the chief dexter quarter an eagle displayed or.
_Engine-à-verge._--What is the _engine-à-verge_, mentioned by P. Daniel in his _Hist. de la Milice Franc._, and what the origin of the name?
_Garrick's Funeral Epigram._--Who is the author of these verses?
"Through weeping London's crowded streets, As Garrick's funeral pass'd, Contending wits and poets strove Which should desert him last.
"Not so this world behaved to Him Who came this world to save; By solitary Joseph borne Unheeded to the grave."
_The Rosicrucians._--I should be extremely glad of a little information respecting "the Brethren of the Rosy Cross." Was there ever a regular fraternity of philosophers bearing this appellation; or was it given merely as a title to all students in alchemy?